ALPHA PARTHE.I had tried every method I knew of to see the last moments of both Geth and Thaddeus, but it was almost as if their memories were wiped off by magic.There were literally no last memories.The dream I had been having for some time now came back in a rush. It was getting clearer. There is an enemy within.I had thought no one from my pack would ever turn out to be disloyal and a traitor. I thought I had trustworthy pack members. But I was wrong.I barged into Tervan’s chamber where he lay hopelessly on the floor, oblivious to all that was going on outside."Tervan!" I yelled at him, but he barely even acknowledged my presence. He had become a shadow of himself, drinking himself to stupor."You can't mourn forever! The pack is in jeopardy and the Beta is nowhere to be seen! Get yourself together! The pack needs you!" I bent down, seizing him by his collar, and pulled him up to a sitting position. "The pack can go a few more days without me, Alpha," he said lazily, almost
ALPHA PARTHE"I... I don't know who or what you are talking about, Parthe," the halfwit protested, his eyes already bulging out of their sockets."Let me make this a little clearer, Nelfas," I circled him slowly, taking my time, "I see the panic in your eyes, Nelfas. That growing dread in your chest—tight, isn't it? Like an iron vice around your lungs," I said, my voice low and cold, "You feel it now, don't you? The numbness creeping up your legs, stealing your strength."He whimpered, a sound so pitiful it disgusted me. "I swear, Parthe, I—I don't know what you're talking about! Please, what's happening to me?"I stopped behind him, leaning close so my breath ghosted against his ear. "What's happening to you is precision," my tone was icy, "The poison coursing through your veins isn't something any run-of-the-mill alchemist could whip up in a dusty corner of their workshop. No, this is something special. Deadly enough to paralyze even the strongest of wolves, yet… merciful enough to
LUXURIA.I tried to steady the tremors in my hands and the rapid beating of my heart as I washed off the dirt on my body.I felt better after having a warm bath.I had been training with Vixtin all morning, and it was a great way of letting out some of the anxiety that was constantly plaguing me for no reason.Sometimes, when I let out some steam in the training process, it keeps me sane and tames the chaos that the voices in my head keep whispering to me.On several occasions, I've had to fight the urge to rip Vixtin into pieces for no reason. The urge to hurt people around me was becoming unbearable, but I didn't intend to give in to it.Not now. I wouldn't want to be executed.Last night was the night of the full moon, and I barely found any prey, save for a young rogue whom I regretted killing.The more I killed, the more I wanted to kill. It was intoxicating and it bothered me.I almost didn't need the full moon to crave blood anymore. I am totally scared because anyone could be
ALPHA PARTHE."Search everywhere! Send spies to every other pack. She couldn't have vanished from the face of the earth without any trace!" I yelled at my warriors who had returned with nothing but bad news.I'd put in every effort necessary to find Eldora but all to no avail. It was eating me up rapidly. I needed closure. I needed to know if Zendaya was truly the one.A part of me refused to believe that I had ruined my chances of living with my own hands. I just... I just needed something... Anything! Fuck it! I just needed to see Eldora!Nelfas' daughter was out of the question. She was underage and without her wolf. I couldn't even take her as a substitute. There has to be another way!I slammed my fist on the table before me, shattering it to pieces. My rage has been almost out of control lately.My body trembled and I needed a release. I needed to take out this anger. Perhaps, I could go for a hunt tonight.The full moon was just yesterday and the hunt was less satisfying. It w
ALPHA PARTHE“She needs you around, Alpha. It is a critical time for her. She’s weak and the unborn pup needs its father close always,” Dalia explained.She had found out. She fucking had.I wanted this to be a secret until I could figure out what to do but right now, more people were getting to know about it.I looked at Shikta’s almost unconscious form and I didn’t know what to feel—anger, hate, disgust?“Dalia. Not a word about this to anyone. Not even a soul,” I said and I saw the look of surprise that crossed her face.“As you wish, Alpha.” She bowed, “But she could grow weaker by the day and the pup is at risk of being unhealthy without the presence of its father. Please, make time out of your very busy schedule and spend around her. It will be beneficial to you both in the future.” She added.I only nodded casually and walked out without saying another word.I stood in front of Luxuria’s chamber, unsure if she’d want to see me. The realization of how I had spoken to her in the
LUXURIA.I was already coming to a decision. I had to. As painful as it seemed, I had to start accepting my fate—the cruel fate Selene had subjected me to.Perhaps I could swallow my pain and hatred and seek refuge with my father, Nelfas. Would he cast me away? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. He never cared about my birth mother until she died at the hands of Odren. Odren’s pack was never an option. I’ll be more of a laughingstock now than ever. And Rella? She’d make sure to make my life hell than she used to, now that she finally had the one thing she could kill me for. Although the last time Niksha visited me, she told me Rella and Kahel’s union wasn’t as blossoming as it should be, but that they were getting better by the day and Kahel was learning to love and accept Rella really fast. My heart ached. Rella was finally having the last laugh. I thought I would find peace with my mate, instead, I lost the man I loved with my life, and now, my mate too. I wiped the tear that sl
LUXURIA.All eyes were on me expectantly. Every gaze felt like a weight pressing down on me, and the intensity of their expectations made my throat tighten.The hall was quiet. So quiet that the footsteps of a tiptoeing ant would be heard if there was any around.I swallowed hard, feeling the tremble in my hands. “I…” I began, my voice shaking slightly. My palms were damp against the smooth wood of the podium. My eyes darted to Parthe, his jaw clenched tight, his gaze like coal-black fire boring into me. I could feel his displeasure.Urik was disgusted. Tervan had a neutral expression.My eyes stung with tears. What’s going on? The last thing I remembered was standing outside with Rorden, wondering if I had actually seen Sibille or if it was just a figment of my imagination. How did I get on the stage? The speech I had diligently prepared and rehearsed for hours, all jumbled up in my head. I couldn’t even remember a line from it. “What is going on?” Parthe asked through the mind
SHIKTA.I lay back on the bed, my hands resting on the swell of my belly, but the ache in my lower back made it impossible to find a comfortable position. Every shift of my body brought a sharp, jabbing pain, and my feet throbbed from swelling.I wanted to cry, but tears wouldn’t solve anything.I tried to talk with Parthe but he was enraged for reasons best known to him. I also went to spend some time with Tervan but he pushed me away. His words played over in my mind, his usual excuse for keeping me at arm’s length. “I need more time.” Time for what? I wasn’t asking him to love me. I wasn’t even asking for much—just his presence, his support, someone to lean on. I wasn’t the one who decided this pup would exist, yet here I was, facing the brunt of it alone.A lot of times, I need the father of my pup around… Or, at least, a man around. But I was mostly alone. The troubles of pregnancy weren’t something I ever envisaged bearing alone.It was a cool night, and taking my usual walk
LUXURIA."I told you the time will come faster than you even imagine..." Rorden traced a lazy path along my cheek, "The time when you'd stand by my side as mine... The time is already upon us, dear Luxuria."My restrained hands twitched, aching to curl into fists, to drive my knuckles into his jaw and watch his smug mouth spill blood.Instead, I did the only thing I could. I spat in his face."You will never succeed in this evil you plan," I hissed, watching as the glob of spit trailed down his cheek. "The goddess will never accept the abomination you just committed in the name of rituals."Rorden didn't flinch. He simply exhaled through his nose, dragging a thumb across his cheek, wiping the spit away with an infuriating calmness.I scoffed, shaking my head. "How could you even harness such thoughts against your own brother?"My eyes scanned the large field, taking in the fearful-looking men who were being fortified with Rorden's blood mixed with some kind of powerful herbs and subst
ALPHA PARTHE."It took you long enough, Urik," I said when I saw him striding into my courtroom like a man walking towards his own execution. "Finally got some nerves to face me?"Bharon and Kefas had the perfect look of displeasure on their faces as their gazes rested on Urik.Like everyone else, they had been disappointed—furious—with the way things had turned out two days ago, and Urik made sure to stay away from everyone's eyes. I hadn't seen him since the day of the false alarm.He had vanished the moment things went south, leaving me to clean up his mess.Coward.Tervan kept on asking me what really happened and how we got the information about an attack that never happened. He was also curious as to what pack was going to attack us and all, but I never gave him any reasonable explanation.Because what was I supposed to say? That I had suspected my own right-hand man of treason? And that we had gone to such lengths to actually catch him in the act... In an act that he was never
ALPHA PARTHE."Fifty men to the East entrance!" Kefas commanded.The warriors moved, their armor glinting under the early light, boots thudding against the earth as they marched to their positions. Some carried shields, others had double-bladed axes, and a few had bows slung over their backs.The entire camp was a storm of movement.Blacksmiths pounded metal against metal, forging last-minute weapons. Stable hands hurried to saddle warhorses, the beasts stamping their hooves impatiently. Runners darted between squadrons, delivering orders.Over three thousand men. Positioned strategically. Ready for war.And yet, I stood there, watching, my gut twisted into knots.What if we were wrong? This would all seem and feel stupid. But there was no time to second-guess. I had already given the command."Parthe?" A familiar voice called me, and I stilled.Tervan.I turned slowly, my face betraying nothing, though my insides recoiled. He was covered in dust, his tunic streaked with sweat. He had
ALPHA PARTHE."The warriors await your orders, Alpha,"Kefas's voice barely registered. My mind was elsewhere.Once again, I was thinking about Luxuria. No matter how hard I tried to push her from my mind, she always found a way back in.I tried offering sacrifices to the goddess, but it seemed she had also forsaken me. I didn't want to believe Urik's theory, as well as the theories of others who thought she had run away with Rorden.Rorden was always good at hiding. Whenever he left the pack back in those days, no one ever found him until he was ready to be found or until he returned to the pack. Maybe he had taken her to one of those hideouts of his, and they were probably living their best lives."Alpha?" Bharon called, and I lifted my gaze to meet their curious ones. But before I'd say a word to them, the doors to my courtroom banged open, and Urik strode in with urgency on his face."Alpha, I have gotten her to tell me everything she knows. We have to act fast. They are coming. I
LUXURIA'S POV.Nevada stilled at the sight of the monster standing before us. His aura had become ten times darker and more terrifying than before that was certain I didn't want to be in the same space with him.His eyes held promises that scared me... I wasn't safe with him... My pups aren't safe either. What if he tries to get rid of them again?"Alpha?" She greeted with a nervous how before hurrying out of the chamber, leaving me at his mercy.He barely even acknowledged her.His eyes rested on the scroll in my hands before trailing up to meet my tearfilled gaze. He moved without sound, his robes flowing around him like liquid darkness, swallowing every trace of warmth from the room. The door groaned as he pushed it shut, making me jolt in fear.A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took slow steps forward."My little Luxuria," he murmured with amusement. "Why are you holding my scroll?"I took a step back instinctively, my heart slamming against my ribs. My hands tre
LUXURIA.I paced the room, my nails scraping against my lips as I chewed on them anxiously, my heart hammering against my ribs. Fear coiled tight in my stomach, but at least my babies were safe. For now.I was able to learn from Nevada that Rorden had gone for some kind of fortification or ritual of some sort, but she refused to tell me why. And that bothered me. Deep in my bones, something felt off. Something was definitely wrong.Rorden had instructed that I'd be taken to his chamber after recovering yesterday. The entire place reeked of him, and my stomach churned with disgust. I didn't want to be anywhere near him, let alone trapped in a space that belonged to him.My mind wandered in Parthe's direction again, and as usual, I was helpless... I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him and Shikta.Shikta's dreams would have come true... Her dreams of becoming Luna.Parthe must have moved on with his life. I knew that... Otherwise, he should have been looking for me already. Rord
PARTHE.Did I care that I lost a child?Not really.Did that make me a bad person? Maybe.But who cared?I exhaled, stretching my fingers before curling them into fists again, feeling the sharp sting of my own strength pressing into my palms.I should have cared. I should have felt something other than this quiet, creeping satisfaction that coiled inside me.But I didn't.A twisted, irrational sense of relief seeped into my bones at the thought of Shikta losing that child. I couldn't even explain why. Perhaps it was because I never wanted a child from her. Perhaps because I never wanted anything to bind me to her in the first place.Or maybe it was because fate had already taken everything from me. My mate. My peace. My patience. And now, it had stripped away something I was supposed to mourn—but couldn't.I had always wanted my heir to come from a woman I love... My mate... But fate ruined everything and is still ruining my efforts!I slammed my fist on the wooden table before me in
SHIKTA.I jolted upright, my breath ragged, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might tear through my ribs. My hands clutched at the sheets, damp with sweat, as my frantic gaze darted around the dimly lit chamber.Where was I?For a brief, foolish moment, I hoped I had woken up at the very moment the darkness swallowed me whole and that I hadn't blacked out for too long. Or that it had all been a nightmare, nothing more. But it was only a wish.A splitting headache welcomed me, as well as a terrifying dizziness that almost sent me back to the bed I had just woken up from.I swayed, barely able to keep myself upright, my stomach churning like a stormy sea."You need to rest, Shikta." I heard the Alpha's voice from somewhere around the room.I looked around immediately to see him standing in a dark corner of the room."Parthe... Parthe..." I called, too in a hurry to stand up, meet him, and explain all that Tervan tried to do, that I didn't notice the sharp pain that was plaguing my
SHIKTA."What took you so long, you pathetic little thing? How long does it take to get a simple tea done?" I snapped at the lazy maid whose thin shoulders were shivering before me.I watched her struggle to form a response, her lips quivering as she opened her mouth—only to fail miserably.How utterly pathetic.She looked far too weak, too fragile, and it was satisfying.I leaned back in my chair, allowing myself the pleasure of her misery.When I became Luna, I had turned most of Parthe's former mistresses into my slaves. He had no problem with that, and I was thankful for it. And this one—this wretched, simpering girl—had once warmed my Alpha's bed.The very thought of it filled me with rage that I wanted to maltreat the life out of her!If it weren't for the child growing inside me, I might have thrown something at her just for the satisfaction of seeing her cower."When I ask for tea, I expect it before my patience runs out," I said slowly, letting the words slither into her bone